Wayne Dyer was talking about his friendship with Deepak Chopra in a talk he gave.
“Whenever I had a problem and would talk to Deepak about it, his answer was always the same — meditate…”
I’m paraphrasing but that’s very interesting I think. Whatever your problem, meditate.
If you’ve got a problem, really, the last thing you want to do is keep focusing on the problem. The solutions don’t come from focusing on the problem, they come from focusing on the solutions…
Anyway, this resonated with me because that’s similar to something I’ve been saying to myself for a long time — “the worse I feel, the more I meditate.” Whenever life starts to go bad… meditate MORE. If it’s GONE bad, do lots and lots of meditation.
This ties in with Einstein’s famous quote (I’m paraphrasing again)…
“You can’t solve a problem from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
Meditation makes you feel better and when you feel better, you see things differently. What’s the point in keep going over the problem in the same habitual way?
Meditation allows you to find your center. It’s a place where everything is always ok. It allows you to step out of habitual thought loops that keep you focused on the problem.
It’s a holiday from your problems.
If you get into a mediation habit instead of making your problems a habit, you’ll soon begin to feel sane again. Meditation will definitely be the sanest part of your day.
Habits allow you to make positive actions effortless. That is their power.
Whether the habit is a healthy breakfast, exercise or meditation, the positive habit will mean a massive difference to your health and happiness down the line.
Whatever it is you want to achieve, it just can’t happen without habit. I saw the Dalai Lama on TV the other day. Every day he wakes up, says his “life purpose” affirmation, showers and meditates. Every single day. Day-in, day-out. That’s a man who understands habit right there.
Habit is the one thing that’s even more important than meditation when it comes to solving your problems. Because your attention is power and when you regularly put your attention on the things you want to nurture, things happen.
Thirty minutes meditation will NOT change your life. But a thirty minute meditation habit will change your life in ways you can’t even imagine…
Habits are the way we work ANYWAY. It’s the way we’re wired. That will never change. So why not maximize your habit power?
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Michael Kinnaird is the author of Happy Guide, the result of a 20 year exploration into what works for health and happiness.
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“It brings peace and I don’t think I need anything else.”
Right, so you know what to do. Listening is just the term I use, just the label for being aware of thoughts that pop. It’s such a simple thing, so don’t get confused with labels. So, you have experienced the peace that comes with awareness, so you have it, you know what to do. Keep on doing it until you are steady, until it is you default state of Being.
Whatever comes, you simply go back to awareness, so then it automatically lets thoughts go. If a thought comes that you wish to focus on, then now you have a powerful focus to do that, to think along whatever lines you choose. It’s all very simple.
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I am confused about this thing focussing on mind.?I try to and I don’t let it to. too confussed about what to do and what to keep doing.Not able to accept one thing and also not able to accept that I can decide whatever depending what i like.Your method may or may not involve focussing on mind but focussing is always there?Too confused Mike.
Just tell me.exactly.what needs to be done and what not.when I read happy guide it told to focus on mind.
I am too confused Mike. Not accepting any thing.
Just tell me what are the thing that you think can be done according to you.so that I am clear in respect of whatever you recommend and mean.I want to reset everything.
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“too confussed about what to do and what to keep doing.”
Wait for the next thought to pop, what is confusing about that? Confusion itself is thoughts, let those go also, and return to awareness.
“not able to accept that I can decide whatever depending what i like.”
If you can control your attention, your focus, then you can choose.
“Your method may or may not involve focussing on mind but focussing is always there?Too confused Mike.”
The listening method focuses attention on the space in which thought happens. While we are awake, we are always focused on something, even if it is space or consciousness itself.
“Just tell me.exactly.what needs to be done and what not.when I read happy guide it told to focus on mind.”
Focus all your effort on noticing what thoughts pop into your mind. The awareness alone will cause the mind to become still. Continue doing what needs to be done when you need to, all the time coming back to awareness of thoughts popping.
“I want to reset everything.”
Yes, reset means return to clarity, to calm all disturbance in the mind. A clear mind is one with no thoughts, a clear mind is whole, although empty of specific thoughts. There is nothing to DO as such, listening is passive, just noticing, just being.
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whats the difference between Wait for the next thought to pop and letting thoughts go?
We stop waiting as soon as we get next thought?
At the time of meditatation we let go thoughts?Is it same as “waiting for the next thought to pop up”?
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All you have to do is listen for the next thought to pop, then you are aware, awake. You are relaxed, allowing. If the mind is stormy, listen INTENSELY, this will bring you back to sanity very quickly. If you are doing something, then focus on what you are doing with a quiet mind. If thinking, do it on purpose.
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Hi Mike if I just listen for next thought ,then I also let thoughts go in it?next thought can come next in 1 sec.I can let things pop up,let thoughts go,let feeling arise.But it’s just I am focussing and sometimes not and allowing thougjts.is it you call listening?
If I just listen to the next thought to pop ,thoughts come but if I just want to extend it and keep listening if I had to stop listening at that thought or I can go on focussing and letting things as much as I can.
It brings peace and I don’t think I need anything else.
Is “letting thoughts go”also termed as listening?if there is peace then there are no thoughts to listen to or to let go.in between my day I close my eyes and let thoughts go,is it listening?or something else is listening?
I am also doing as focussing in my mind .is it also listening?
Also I can’t catch thoughts but just allowing them brings peace.Is this also listening?
Any reference so that I can be clear.Though I know what brings peace but the lack of clarity brings lack of commitment.when I say listen I don’t have clarity wht to do.
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Hi mike When I think as i am listening,my focus is in mind.IS it right?I find that nothing or very less is coming to be allowed.
i also sometimes just let everything without resistance though i feel i am not focusssing any where
When i watch thoughts ,i wait for thoughts to come but again there are not much thoughts.
Is it right way to listen and find that there is not much?You also experience same thing?There is actually nothing to let go ,though there is some stress or something waiting for release.
And are all three same thing?i
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“When I think as i am listening, my focus is in mind.IS it right?I find that nothing or very less is coming to be allowed.”
Yes the focus is in the mind initially, although once your mind is quiet, then you can pay attention to external things and still be aware, allowing of thoughts that pop.
“i also sometimes just let everything without resistance though i feel i am not focusssing any where When i watch thoughts ,i wait for thoughts to come but again there are not much thoughts.”
Good, yes, thoughts diminish. Now you can choose a thought on purpose and grow it. That is a much more powerful way to be. Whereas before the identity is believed to be the mass of chaotic thoughts, now you are grounded in your being, thinking on purpose.
“Is it right way to listen and find that there is not much?”
Yes, more thoughts come depending on your attention, meaning, belief, intention etc. So if you stop thinking, then all momentum comes to a stop. Like if you let go of a flywheel, it will stop spinning in time, once the energy it already has is gone.
“You also experience same thing?”
Yes.
“There is actually nothing to let go, though there is some stress or something waiting for release.”
Yes, nothing to let go if nothing comes. The stress is probably fear related to your sense of identity, as it shifts from old beliefs and thoughts, the ego self, to a sense of self rooted in your being, thoughtless, choiceful, aware. The first is a false sense of self, very insecure, the second is very stable, true, secure and independent of circumstances.
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Hi Mike I don’t know I keep getting confused with listening.I know or understood these things from listening as well as some other sources and some I understood myself.
1.focussing on mind and letting thoughts arise,go.
2.focussing intensly for next thought to pop up.
3.watching thoughts.
4.allowing every thought.
5.just letting thoughts go without focussing everywhere.
6.you told that meditation ,in that focus on body and letting thoughts go.it’s called intense listening.but there I am not focussing on mind for next thought to pop up.I also confuse it with what’s listening.letting thoughts go that’s it?
When I use word listening and try doing something then I don’t get exactly what to do and get confused often.
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Throughout your day, you are in “listening” mode. This means you are simply aware of your mental space. If the mind is very stormy, listen intensely, in order to interrupt the stream, to “calm the waters”. If the mind isn’t stormy, there’s no need for intensity, just relax and allow. As thoughts pop, either ignore them/let them go, or act on them (eg. I need to pick up my dry cleaning).
Watching thoughts is the same as listening. Watching/listening/being aware are basically all the same thing.
The meditation section of the book tells you to “Move your attention into your body and feel and release any tension there.” That is something you do once, in order to relax, in order to prepare for, and settle into, meditation.
Then to meditate you simply go into “listening” mode, as you were doing throughout your day. The only difference is that you will not act on any thoughts, you will simply let all thoughts come and go.
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Hiya! Yes, listening with the readiness to allow is just perfect. Intensity can be used if the mind is really stormy. But no storm, no need for intensity, just relax and allow. If you are just relaxed, open, and aware of every thought, that is very good!
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Is it necessory Mike to commit to flow ,and then only commit to this method.I feel I don’t need flow .simple listening put me in some good state and feel like less engaged with mind and get me in automatic state.sometime i feel just watching thoughts,sometimes I feel just staying relaxed and dont do anything of thoughts.And If I ever need or feel the need to learn flow or any other thing ,I can later learn.Is it ok?Is it allowed?I get prevented due to the feeling that May be its not allowed and i can’t start as i am not commited to whole method.
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Actually What i feel is Flow is not everything.I just feel good with that listening or simple allowing or simple thought watching.I want to leave the need for flow or anything else for later as I feel It is not the everything,there are lot of other things,that I may learn or also I may learn even flow but that I don’t know.If I dont need to learn flow later,I can leave that.But I am again doubtful or guilty.Thats the disbelief in me.
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Flow is just relaxed awareness of what you are doing, just as listening is relaxed awareness of thoughts. It’s all one thing really. Thoughts happen, flow happens, you are aware. You just focus on the listening and don’t worry, the flow will take care of itself, because it’s all one state, a state of wholeness where the mind is not split.
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Hi Mike
Thanks for the reply.Mike,I feel I don’t need any other thing than just allowing thoughts after getting so much bored of entertaining each of it and i somehow reading here and there understood i can’t keep resisting.
In listening when i read focus intensly enough,it confuse me because trying to generate intensity feels like suppressing?rather what I just do is listening with the readiness to allow everything.
What i feel doubful is that this thing is not a part of listening however at the same time i don’t like suppressing?So again a doubt which do not let me trust and commit.
secondly ,you told to just allowing thoughts to come and stay in awareness.Is it same as listening or i need to be intense in listening.Just allowing and listening are same thing?
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